Saudi midday ban comes into effect

The midday work ban in Saudi Arabia has come into force from Friday, June 15, Saudi’s Ministry of Labour and Social Development announced on Saturday.

Under the ban, which is enacted every year from June 15 to September 15, companies are not allowed to let their employees work under the direct sunlight from 12pm to 3pm.

Ministry spokesperson Khalid Abalkhail said a reminder had been sent to all government and private sectors to abide by the ban, which was issued as law by the Cabinet, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

The ministry is keen on ‘protecting the safety and health of workers in the private sector and providing them with a secure working environment’, he said.

The ban is designed to protect construction workers and other staff from heat exhaustion during the extreme summer temperatures in the kingdom.

Temperatures during the period can reach as high as 50 degrees Celsius in the middle of the day in some areas and are unsafe for workers.

However, the ban may not be applicable in “some areas, where the temperature is tolerable,” the SPA report quoted him as adding.

“The ministry is coordinating with the governorates of those regions with regard to taking a decision whether to ban work under sun or not,” he said.

Members of the public are encouraged to make enquiries or report breaches of the ban to the @MLSD_care Twitter account.

If found in violation by inspectors, companies face fines ranging between SAR3,000 ($800) and SAR10,000 ($2,666) as well as the closure of the business for 30 days.